 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 03 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 05 Sep 2007 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 07 Sep 2007 | |
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| 06 Sep 2007 - Flushing Meadows, New York - Eleanor Preston |  Related Audio |
| Albanese eases into quarters |
 An Interview with Lauren Albanese (MP3 format)
An Interview with Dan Evans (MP3 format)
 
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Florida’s Lauren Albanese got a taste of the big time when she beat Ksenia Lykina of Russia 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 in the marquee match of day five in the US Open juniors. Albanese was cheered on by a sizeable contingent of local support on the Grandstand court, one of the most prestigious showcourts at Flushing Meadows’ famous Billie Jean King Tennis Centre.
Albanese, seeded eighth to Lykina’s tenth, reached the semi-finals at last year’s junior US Open and drew on her experience when she took on the able Russian in Thursday’s third round encounter. She certainly showed very few nerves despite the occasion and her illustrious surroundings. “It’s nice and getting to play on Grandstand was a really nice experience as well,” said Albanese. “I played on Louis Armstrong so this year I was more acclimatised to the court. I wasn’t nervous out there. I actually handled playing on a court like that very well.”
Albanese said she is looking forward to the day when she makes a return to Grandstand and the other showcourts as a pro but she is relishing the chance to learn her trade at the ITF Junior Circuit, particularly the junior grand slams. “The juniors, especially the top juniors, they all have good shots at becoming tennis professionals and having a great career on the pro circuit,” she explained. “If you look at some of the girls that have done well, they’ve all played well at the grand slams. So, why not play it? You’re still in the US Open so why not got as far as you can. Last year, it seems like yesterday, I was playing Tamira Paszek in the semi-finals of the juniors here, and again in the Luxilon Cup last year and now she’s probably going to be top 20 in the world. It’s really encouraging to see your fellow pros and it gives you confidence to think, ‘hey, I could be there if I work hard.’”
17-year-old Briton Dan Evans echoed Albanese’s words after he defeated promising young American Ryan Thacher 6-4, 7-6 to move through to the boys’ quarter-finals. Evans is hoping to emulate his compatriot and sometime practice partner Andy Murray, who won the boys’ title in 2004. “I think playing here opened my eyes and it opens most people’s eyes that this is a good place to be and hopefully if I keep doing what I’m doing then this could be a permanent place to be. It inspires you,” said Evans, who has already recorded his best junior grand slam result by reaching the last eight.
“Hardcourts suit my game for sure but these even more so because they are a bit quicker. A lot of the European guys are used to slower courts. A win in the junior grand slam is a good win. Everybody who plays them is a good player,” said Evans, who trains as part of a young British travelling squad alongside David Rice, Graeme Dyce and Daniel Cox and overseen by Swede Magnus Tideman, a former coach to 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson. “I knew Andy had won it in 2004 and it does give you inspiration but it would have given me more inspiration if somebody had won it last year. It was while ago that Andy won. I look back and think ‘yeah, I’d like to do that’ but I’m not really focusing on how he did three years ago.”
Evans will now play Italy’s Matteo Trevisan, seeded third, who was a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia. The only notable upset was earned by Jerzy Jankowicz, who beat much fancied Australian Bernard Tomic 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
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